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Benavides J, González-Warleta M, Arteche-Villasol N, Pérez V, Mezo M, Gutiérrez-Expósito D. Ovine Neosporosis: The Current Global Situation. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12162074. [PMID: 36009665 PMCID: PMC9405361 DOI: 10.3390/ani12162074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2022] [Revised: 07/17/2022] [Accepted: 08/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary This review summarizes the current global situation of Neospora caninum infection in sheep by referring to all of the available descriptions of natural ovine neosporosis to date, focusing on epidemiology, clinical signs, lesions, and diagnosis. The data suggest that ovine neosporosis is more prevalent than currently thought, that it has increased in the last few decades, and that it should now be considered in the differential diagnosis when investigating abortion in sheep. Abstract In the past 20 years, Neospora caninum infection in sheep has been reported in at least 31 countries worldwide from all sheep-rearing continents (Europe, Asia, the Americas, Africa, and Oceania), and its role as an abortifacient agent is becoming more evident. Most studies of ovine neosporosis have focused on its epidemiology, based primarily on serological analysis, with only a few studies investigating the actual presence of the parasite by PCR and/or IHC. Individual seroprevalence rates were highly variable between countries, and even between regions within the same country, ranging from 0.0% to 67.4% positive. Furthermore, most of the studies were not directly comparable due to differences in experimental designs, sample sizes, husbandry systems, ecological factors, and serological tests (e.g., IFAT, ELISA, MAT, Western blot). The latter, along with the scarcity of studies on the relevance of N. caninum as an abortifacient agent, may bias the perception of the importance of this disease. This review summarizes the situation of N. caninum infection in sheep using all available published studies describing natural ovine neosporosis. The epidemiology shows that ovine neosporosis is found worldwide, and it poses a relevant risk to the sustainability of sheep flocks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julio Benavides
- Instituto de Ganadería de Montaña, CSIC-University of Leon, Grulleros, 24346 León, Spain
| | - Marta González-Warleta
- Centro de Investigaciones Agrarias de Mabegondo, Parasitology Laboratory, Axencia Galega da Calidade Alimentaria (AGACAL)-Xunta de Galicia, Ctra, Betanzos a Mesón do Vento km 7, Abegondo, 15318 A Coruña, Spain
| | - Noive Arteche-Villasol
- Instituto de Ganadería de Montaña, CSIC-University of Leon, Grulleros, 24346 León, Spain
- Animal Health Department, Faculty of Veterinary, University of Leon, Campus de Vegazana s/n, 24071 León, Spain
| | - Valentín Pérez
- Instituto de Ganadería de Montaña, CSIC-University of Leon, Grulleros, 24346 León, Spain
- Animal Health Department, Faculty of Veterinary, University of Leon, Campus de Vegazana s/n, 24071 León, Spain
| | - Mercedes Mezo
- Centro de Investigaciones Agrarias de Mabegondo, Parasitology Laboratory, Axencia Galega da Calidade Alimentaria (AGACAL)-Xunta de Galicia, Ctra, Betanzos a Mesón do Vento km 7, Abegondo, 15318 A Coruña, Spain
| | - Daniel Gutiérrez-Expósito
- Instituto de Ganadería de Montaña, CSIC-University of Leon, Grulleros, 24346 León, Spain
- Animal Health Department, Faculty of Veterinary, University of Leon, Campus de Vegazana s/n, 24071 León, Spain
- Correspondence:
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